Pamela Reed is an American actress. She is known for playing Arnold Schwarzenegger's police partner Phoebe O'Hara in the 1990 film Kindergarten Cop and portraying the matriarch Gail Green in Jericho. She appeared as Marlene Griggs-Knope on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, as well as the exasperated wife Alison Langley in Bean.
Early life and education Reed received her B.F.A. at the University of Washington.
Career Reed earned a Drama Desk Award for the off-Broadway play Getting Out and an Obie Award for "sustaining excellence in performance in theater". She was a regular in the cast of the 1977 CBS drama The Andros Targets. She had minor film and television work in the 1980s. She won a CableAce Award for Best Actress for the HBO series Tanner '88 (1988). She also co-starred with Daryl Hannah in the film .
Her notable film roles include The Long Riders (1980), The Right Stuff (1983), The Best of Times (1986), Kindergarten Cop (1990), Junior (1994), Deadly Whispers (1995), Bean (1997) and Proof of Life (2001).
Reed played Janice Pasetti in the quirky NBC sitcom Grand, and then played a judge and single mother in the short-lived NBC sitcom The Home Court. She has provided the voice for the character Ruth Powers in four episodes of the animated TV series The Simpsons and guest-voiced in an episode of the 1994–1995 animated series The Critic. She played a main role in Jericho and portrayed the mother of main character Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) on Parks and Recreation.
In 2005 Reed portrayed executive producer Esther Shapiro in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind-the-scenes production of the 1980s prime-time soap opera Dynasty.
Reed has also worked for Storyline Online, reading Stellaluna.
Personal life Reed met Sandy Smolan when he directed her in Rachel River. They married in 1988 and have two adopted children, Reed and Lily.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Ref Notes1980Belle Starr Melvin and HowardBonnie Dummar1981EyewitnessLinda Mercer1982Young Doctors in LoveNurse Norine Sprockett1983Trudy Cooper1984The Goodbye PeopleNancie Scot1986IzaGigi Hightower1987Rachel RiverMary Graving1989ChattahoocheeEarlene1990RedlandsMaudeVideo shortCadillac ManTinaKindergarten CopLAPD Detective Phoebe O'Hara1992Passed AwayTerry Scanlan PinterBob RobertsCarol Cruise1994JuniorAngela1997Santa FeNancy VigilBeanAlison Langley1998Why Do Fools Fall in LoveJudge Lambrey1999Standing on FishesJanice2000Proof of LifeJanis Goodman2005Life of the PartyEvelyn2016Savannah SunriseLoraineThe ArchitectColn's Mother2017Outside InAunt Bette2018Dotty2020Language ArtsSister Giorgia2023The BurialAnnette O'Keefe
Television Year Title Role Notes1976Spencer's PilotsSusanEpisode: "The Hitchhiker"1977Sandi FarrellMain role1978All's Well That Ends WellHelenaTV film1981Inmates: A Love StorySunny1983PaigeEpisode: "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt"I Want to LiveEdie BannisterTV filmHeart of SteelValerie1985Scandal SheetHelen Grant1988HemingwayMary WelshTV miniseriesTanner '88T.J. CavanaughL.A. LawNorma HeislerEpisode: "Romancing the Drone"1990GrandJanice PasettiMain roleCaroline?Grace CarmichaelTV filmVarious (voice)TV miniseries documentary1992Woman with a PastDee JohnsonTV film1992–1993, 2003, 2021Ruth Powers (voice)Episodes: "New Kid on the Block", "Marge on the Lam", "The Strong Arms of the Ma", "The Wayz We Were"1993Born Too SoonElizabeth MehrenTV filmFamily AlbumDenise LernerTV miniseries1994ProjectionistSeason 1, Episode 41995Deadly WhispersCarol ActonTV filmBuford's Got a GunLaurie1995–96Judge Sydney J. SolomonMain role1996Wanda GilmoreTV filmCritical ChoicesArlene1998CarriersHolly Parker2001The KennedysPamela Kennedy2003Book of DaysGradyJudging AmySarahEpisode: "Shock and Awe"2004Tanner on TannerT.J. CavanaughTV miniseriesJAGMajor General WillseyEpisode: "Whole New Ball Game"2005Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty PleasureEsther ShapiroTV filmJane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don'tFran Henkel2006Pepper DennisLynn DinkleRecurring role2006–08JerichoGail GreenRegular role2008Eli StoneMrs. StoneEpisode: "Pilot", "Heartbeat"2009Asst. Dir. Ida Paulson2 Episodes2009–11United States of TaraBeverly Craine4 Episodes2009–12Parks and RecreationMarlene Griggs-Knope9 Episodes2010Proposition 8 Trial Re-EnactmentDr. M. V. Lee BadgettTV series documentaryGrey's AnatomyMrs. BanksEpisode: "Valentine's Day Massacre"2011–12CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDonna HoppeEpisode: "Genetic Disorder", "Risky Business Class"2012PerceptionMrs. PenderhaltEpisode: "86'd"2014Criminal MindsMary BidwellEpisode: "Boxed In"2015–2023NCIS: Los AngelesRoberta DeeksRecurring role
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